apple gourd trellis

[Jai_Ganesha]

What kind of trellis is best for an apple gourd plant (or two)?

I have a thirty gallon tub I'd like to grow apple gourds in this year but I need to build a trellis. Would straight up, 10 feet, with netting work? I'm not sure how to proceed.

I can't grow it on the ground because I just don't have that much room...

[applestar]

I've never grown them, but if it's the same one, I'm looking at a dried apple gourd bought at a market a couple of years ago, and it's about 7 in tall and 6 in in diameter. I think some get even bigger. I think wire fence type trellis might work better? Or if you use string netting, then put at least two -- top and middle -- sturdy cross beams so the entire thing doesn't sag.

...my advice would be to NOT make it 10 feet tall -- it would be hard to take care of and harvest that way.

[imafan26]

I never heard of them but I do grow gourds that weigh over 3 lbs and the mature ones can weigh closer to 15 lbs. If you can't let them sprawl then you need a very strong trellis or chain link fence to support the vine and multiple fruit. The vines will hold themselves together so a string trellis may work, but I think you will still need some substantial support poles and cross braces. An A frame trellis might work, but if the vines are anything like upo it still won't be big enough. My current vines have gone accross a 20 ft fence and are making their way along the side fences now, and going over my calamondin tree and sending runners into the garden. Your trellis will need to be big enough to contain a 30-50 ft vine.

I grew upo on a tent frame and it bent the aluminum poles. My other trellis works better. It is made from steel fence posts, the kind for chain link fencing. It is pounded 2 feet in the ground (it is a 7 or 8 foot pole), The top is made from conduit that has been bent and stuffed inside the top of the pole to form a peaked roof. the sides are conduit with rebar inside the conduit for added strength. CRW is the roof. One of the middle poles is rotting and I have to replace it but otherwise it has worked for over 10 years. It actually looks like a tent frame that sits over one of my garden parterres and when the upo grows over it, I can grow shade tolerant leafy greens under it and the upo will hang down from the roof for easy picking.

[Jai_Ganesha]

Thank you.

So would a chain-link fence 3' wide and 10' tall work? My problem is growing them out...I'll have to grow them up. If it won't work, I'll just grow pole beans or something in that space...